


The Mother Of Intervention

by tielan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Escape, Gen, Off-World, unfriendly locals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 19:12:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12539172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: Necessity is the mother of intervention...





	The Mother Of Intervention

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flowersforgraves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersforgraves/gifts).



Teyla twisted against the knots, grimacing as the movement pinched a fold of skin between the hempen strands, but not ceasing her struggle until the pain grew too great to bear. When she relaxed, her nerves let her know of their pain in no uncertain terms.

"You know," Rodney said in doleful tones, "I preferred the convict's island on Olesia. At least they wanted to use us to get off the planet, rather than to feed us to the lions...wolves...whatever..."

On a tree further around than Teyla could twist to see, John's voice rose in pointed sarcasm. "Cheerful, Rodney. Ronon? How are you...?"

While no words were spoken, Teyla did not need to hear Ronon's voice to be aware that her team-mate was doing as she had done only moments before - twisting against the knots, seeking a weakness in the bindings, attempting escape. The rasp of his breath in the forest quiet and the drag of his boots against the soft soil were sign enough of his efforts.

"You know, even the Wraith would be better than this," Rodney mumbled. "At least it's over quick."

"Don't want it to be over at all." Ronon's answer came in a burst of breath, as though he'd suddenly given up and weariness had taken him.

Teyla took a deep breath, and shut her eyes. She pictured the ropes that encircle her wrists, the knots that held them fast. And she shifted her wrists around with what limited movement she had, tied with her arms behind her back.

 _There_. She felt a slight give in the rope - the smallest suggestion of something easing back, loosening. The pinched fold of skin screamed its pain at her, but Teyla concentrated on her arms, and when she stopped, the loop of rope around her wrist had loosened.

"Oh, my God," said Rodney as she dragged one hand out of the rope, rubbing it raw against the harsh fibres. "You're not human, are you?"

"Part-Wraith," she said, as much a reminder to Rodney, that he walked dangerous ground, intentional or not, as a reminder to herself - that her 'gift' had a darker origin.

"You could be full Wraith and it wouldn't make a difference," said John, loyally as she bent to pick up a sharp stone that had been lying by her feet and went to hack at Ronon's hands.

It was, perhaps, inevitable that Rodney should protest. "Why him first?"

Teyla did not answer, her concentration split between the ropes she was trying to loosen and the noises of the forest around them. It was not an easy task to loosen Ronon's bindings, for the rock's sharp edges bit into her fingers. Still, she managed to slice through enough strands with the rock that he gained some room for movement and nearly dislocated his shoulder getting out.

John hissed as Teyla went down to her knees beside him. She glanced over at Ronon, who swung his arm in a circle, once, twice, then went to untie Rodney. "Looks like the Malyennai got careless with their knots."

"I do not believe they were accustomed to so many people struggling," Teyla murmured as she sliced at the strands with increasing urgency. There was a break in the rhythm of the forest noise, far distant, but unmistakeable.

"Teyla." Ronon's voice rang out. He, too, had heard the break, as creatures flighted and footed paused to let a human come through.

"I know," she said and her hands, already clumsy from the pain and the damp, slipped a little.

"Ow!" John protested as the edge of the stone bit into his flesh, opening a cut. "Teyla! I was hoping to make it off this planet with my skin intact."

Teyla smiled at his peevishness. "Better I than the Malyennai _karsavvi_."

John winced, doubtless remembering the way the Malyennai’s version of dogs had ripped apart the hunks of meat thrown to them earlier. "Okay, I'll pay that."A moment later when she said 'pull', he jerked himself free. "Thanks."

Rodney was already free and spinning on his heel, looking anxiously in all directions. Ronon swung around once, surveying the forest, and turned on his heel. "This way."

He set out at a ground-eating lope, with John just behind him and Rodney running ahead of Teyla.

There was no protest at Ronon's assumption of the lead. In seven years, Ronon had forgotten more of forest markings than either John or Rodney had ever known. Teyla could lead in situations like this, but she had noticed that both John and Rodney were more apt to keep up when she was moving close behind them.

Earth males had their pride. It might be foolish, but it could also, occasionally, be useful.

And, too, she was the best equipped to seal with the _karsavvi_ that she could sense on their trail...

“Is this even the way back to the Stargate?” Rodney demanded. “Wasn’t it uphill?”

“We’re heading for the ‘jumper.” John said after a minute. “Did you want to go uphill?”

“Not really.”

“Jumper’s closer,” said Ronon. “And gives an advantage.”

Teyla half-turned her head, caught something in the corner of her eye, and frowned. She didn’t say anything, because the moment she spoke of what was pursuing them, Rodney would turn, and they could not spare the time for his panic.

Run first, panic later.

They were dull points in her mind, poking, prodding, trying to find a way in. The Malyennai were not Gifted but they must have some measure of the Wraithgene to control their beasts of hunt. And in the  _karsavvi_ was no intelligence – no more than might be found in any beast, and with none of the sentience of the Wraith.

“Teyla? You’re pretty quiet back there.”

“I am fine.”

She found each of those dull minds, focused only on the chase, on the hunt. She gathered them in, like a light caress to the head, until their attention was focused on her – just on her. Then she struck, like a sharp smack on the nose.

_Bad dog!_

Their surprise and sudden fear lashed her like a whippy twig, bright as an explosion. But she didn’t flinch, following it up with a commanding,  _Go back home! Back!_

They were not Wraith. They were not Gifted. They were just...beasts. Their minds milled, confused and dazed by her order, by the wash of emotion that Teyla projected with it. Then they broke away, cringing as though she had shouted at them and hit their noses to end their pursuit.

One or two tried to cling to their prerogative; she repeated her order and added the dimension of anger to it.

_BAD!_

Teyla continued after her team-mates.

They were nearly at the ‘jumper when John slowed down and half-turned as she caught up with him, frowning. “I don’t hear pursuit anymore.” His gaze skimmed the scrubby hills behind them, then fell on Teyla.

Rodney running stopped, leaning over with his hands on his knees and panting. “I can’t hear anything but my blood in my ears!”

“Keep moving,” Ronon said from ahead.

“ _You’ve_ stopped!”

John eyed Teyla, then stepped up and prodded Rodney along. “‘Jumper now, exhaustion later.”

They reached the ‘jumper and John opened the rear door so they could all stumble in and seal it up behind them. He headed for the cockpit, and Rodney followed him, complaining all the way.

Ronon reached for the compartment that held a bottle of water, took one for himself and tossed one to Teyla as they sat. “What did you do?”

She didn’t ask how he knew, or why he kept his voice low. “Only what I had to do.”

The expression which crossed his face was nothing as open as as frown, but he said nothing then. He would say nothing later either.

John half-glanced at them, his eye catching Teyla’s. She nearly braced for a comment, but he only said, “Let’s go home.”

They went home

 


End file.
